Rustic Cherry Almond Polenta Cake

This Italian-inspired Cherry Almond Cornmeal Cake feels like a warm hug served straight from the oven. With its rich almond flavor, gentle hints of lemon, and juicy cherries scattered throughout, each bite is wonderfully comforting. The cornmeal gives it a rustic, slightly crumbly texture that pairs beautifully with the sweet crunch of almonds sprinkled on top.

I love how versatile this cake is—perfect as a cozy afternoon treat alongside a hot cup of tea, yet elegant enough to serve at a relaxed dinner party with friends. Dust it generously with powdered sugar, and you’ll have a charming dessert that tastes just as delightful as it looks.

Rustic Cherry Almond Polenta Cake

Diana Oana

This Cherry Almond Polenta Cake is one of those cozy, rustic desserts you'll instantly fall in love with. Tender, buttery, and delicately flavored with lemon zest, it's studded with juicy cherries and topped with crunchy almond flakes—perfectly balancing sweetness and texture. Whether served with afternoon tea or as a comforting dessert after dinner, this cake always feels special, yet welcomingly homemade.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine International

Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 4 large eggs
• 150 g sugar
• 175 g melted and cooled butter
• zest of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 200 g ground almonds
• 75 g polenta flour or finely ground cornmeal
• 60 g all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 handfuls of pitted fresh cherries (or about 1 cup) (how to easily pit cherries)

For serving and decoration:

• a handful of almond flakes
• powdered sugar

Instructions

 

1. Preheat Oven

• Preheat oven to 180°C/356°F (top-bottom heat, no fan).
• Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (22–24 cm) round baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Prepare Batter

• In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy.
• Stir in melted butter, lemon zest, and salt until thoroughly combined.
• Fold in ground almonds and cornmeal, mixing gently until incorporated.
• Combine flour and baking powder separately, then gently fold into batter with wide, circular motions using a spatula until just combined.

3. Assemble Cake

• Pour batter into the prepared pan and evenly distribute the pitted cherries over the top, gently pressing them into the batter slightly.
  
• Sprinkle sliced almonds evenly over the cake surface.

4. Bake

• Bake for approximately 1 hour. After 30–40 minutes, if the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with parchment paper.
• Test doneness with a toothpick or skewer (should come out clean or with minimal crumbs).

5. Cool and Serve

• Let the cake cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar and slice.

Notes

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Related: Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake
Related: 20 Italian Desserts to Try Out
Related: Walnut Ricotta Cake
Related: Sweet Cornbread
Related: Thyme Apricot Upside-down Cake

Diana Oana

As an award winning food blogger, I started my culinary journey in 2010, driven by a fervent commitment to crafting flavorful, tasty meals that defy the stereotype of bland health cuisine. I love to cook anything from appetizers to main courses and desserts from a wide range of cuisines as well as traditional Romanian dishes.